HOW NATURE STUDY SHOULD BE TAUGHT 199 



ject, and we really believe that when properly 

 taught it has greater possibilities than has any 

 other subject that can be undertaken. Since the 

 purpose is to help students to think, this cannot 

 be done unless the instructor thinks even deeper 

 and harder than do the persons whom he under- 

 takes to train. 



If the subject is to be introduced into a system 

 of schools, by far the best possible way is to 

 engage the services of a competent specialist in 

 this line, to place it upon such a footing that it 

 can in a few years be taught entirely by the regu- 

 lar teachers. 



If an individual teacher wishes to introduce it, 

 all that is necessary is to observe, or read about 

 some common objects of nature ; learn for himself 

 some features of interest about them, and then 

 procure specimens of these objects, and placing 

 them before the pupils, start them in the process 

 of thinking or discovering for themselves the truth 

 or facts which the teacher has learned (no matter 

 by what means) about this material or phenom- 

 enon. It is best to have the specimens come 

 from the surrounding neighborhood, and if pos- 

 sible collected by the pupils themselves. The 

 same material can be used in any and all grades 



